High Bandwidth Plasma Sensor Instrumentation for the Measurements of Turbine Inlet Conditions

Spectral Energies, LLC and The University of Notre Dame propose to develop weakly-ionized plasma devices for the measurement of flow conditions in gas turbine inlets. The design of these devices is based on the work of Matlis and Corke who developed a.c. plasma sensors for measurement of mass-flux at high Mach numbers and for measurement of unsteady pressure in gas turbine compressors. The experience gained with these plasma devices will be used to develop sensors, based on a plasma that can measure the unsteady flow conditions leading into the turbine. The advantages of these sensors are that they are robust, can survive high heat loading, have frequency responses in excess of 1 MHz, and can transmit wirelessly. The Phase I effort will consists of designing sensors for mean and fluctuating pressure, temperature, and a single gas species such as CO2. These sensors will be tested in the Gas Dynamics and Propulsion Laboratory at the University of Cincinnati at conditions of 5 atm and 2000oF to verify performance. This work will also involve facilities in the Notre Dame Institute for Flow Physics and Control (FlowPAC). This work grows from our combined experience in developing the plasma anemometer, but will be applied to the unique flow physics that exists in gas turbine inlets. BENEFIT: Research performed during the Phase I and Phase II study will provide a suite of rugged sensors that are optimized to measure multiple parameters, such as pressure, temperature and a single gas species such as CO2. These sensors will have all of the native advantages provided by the plasma approach including extremely high frequency response greater than 1 MHz, high sensitivity, excellent noise rejection, robust architecture to withstand high loads and temperatures, and wireless transmission.